Rye school district has new proctoring protocol

In the aftermath of last year's "testing irregularities" scandal, the Rye school district has changed its protocol on proctoring state assessments, The Journal News has learned.

During the English language arts exams earlier this month, two proctors were assigned to each class. Neither of the proctors was the classroom teacher.

"For example, all grade five student assessments will be proctored by grade four teachers, along with one other adult," schools Superintendent Frank Alvarez wrote in a letter to parents.

The new protocol will apply to all elementary and middle school classrooms and "will provide an appropriate testing environment," said Alvarez. The math exams are scheduled next week.

Until last year, all tests were proctored by classroom teachers, said Karina Stabile, the district spokeswoman.

The state has no regulations against classroom teachers proctoring their own class during state assessments.

The district placed four elementary school teachers on administrative leave last April amid allegations of improper coaching during the state standardized tests in English and math. District officials began an internal investigation and filed a report with the state Education Department and the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

In October, the District Attorney's Office said it would not press criminal charges against the teachers due to "legally insufficient evidence."

The district settled with two of the teachers this year, with one leaving and the other being reassigned to the classroom.

The district hasn't reached an agreement with Carin Mehler, a tenured fourth-grade teacher at Osborn Elementary School, and Dana Coppola, a third-grade teacher at Milton Elementary School.

Last month, Mehler filed a $1 million lawsuit against the district and several school board members for sullying her reputation and keeping her off her job.

The school district, which is continuing its investigation, has been criticized for the long delay in resolution by parents and the Rye Teacher's Association.

Last week, several teachers addressed the board at its meeting and spoke up in support of the reassigned teachers.

"Please resolve this. Please return our talented and capable colleagues to their classrooms," said Katy Ridley, a teacher at Milton. "I cannot even begin to tell you how sad I am when I think of what has become of the relationship between the school board and the faculty. As a faculty member I am scared for my job. It could be any of us. We all feel like potential targets."

"I fear for my colleagues' psychological and emotional well-being at this point," she added.

Ridley, who lives in Rye, said that, as a taxpayer, she found it "unconscionable" that the district was spending money on this matter instead of in the classroom.

Jamie Zung, president of the teachers union, told The Journal News that Alvarez had been reaching out to parents of students in Mehler's class, asking if they would allow their children to be interviewed as recently as last month.

"These students were never originally interviewed almost one year ago by Principal Angela Garcia," said Zung. "Are 8- and 9-year-olds going to able to distinguish between this year's ELA exam and dozens of practice exams and last year's ELA exams?"